May 7, 2009
COLUMBIA, S.C. –
University of South Carolina signee Kelsey Bone is one of 27 players who will attend the 2009 USA Basketball Women’s U19 World Championship Team Trials, USA Basketball announced today. Bone is one of seven players participating who were on the gold medal winning 2008 USA U18 National Team. Athlete invitations were extended by the USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team Committee, chaired by NCAA representative Sue Donohoe (Vice President for Division I Women’s Basketball). The trials begin on Thu., May 14, and run through Sun., May 17, at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Team finalists will be announced on the final day of the trials.
As part of the 2008 USA U18 National Team, Bone helped the U.S. qualify for this year’s U19 Worlds by claiming the gold medal at the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship. In the five-game event, Bone averaged 10.6 points and 6.6 rebounds in just 15.6 minutes per game. She tied for team-high honors with 13 points against Venezuela in the tournament opener and led the team with nine rebounds against Canada.
“Given the wealth of talent we have in these 27 young women, selecting this year’s USA U19 World Championship Team is not going to be an easy task for the committee,” Donohoe said. “We have some amazing players who will be trying out for just 12 roster spots, and I expect that each trials session will be very competitive. However, I feel confident that the committee will be able to put together a team that will make the United States proud in its quest for a third-consecutive FIBA U19 World Championship gold medal.”
Bone is one of 11 players on the trials roster who finished their high school campaigns this year. The group also includes 14 student-athletes who recently completed their freshman years at an NCAA Division I school, one who closed our her freshman campaign at an NJCAA Division I institution and one athlete who has one year of high school eligibility remaining. Bone will get a look at future SEC foes LaSondra Barrett (LSU), C’eira Ricketts (Arkansas) and Taber Spani (Tennessee) at the trials.
USA Basketball Women’s U19 World Championship Team Trials Roster
LaSondra Barrett F 6-2 LSU
Kelsey Bone C 6-5 South Carolina#
Sarah Boothe C 6-5 Stanford
Sydney Carter G 5-6 Texas A&M
Layshia Clarendon G 5-10 California#
Skylar Diggins G 5-10 Notre Dame#
Kelly Faris G 5-11 UConn#
Nikki Greene C 6-4 Penn State#
Keisha Hampton F 6-2 DePaul
Tayler Hill G 5-10 Ohio State#
Shenise Johnson F 5-11 Miami (FL)
Kierra Mallard C 6-2 Texas Tech
Lindsey Moore G 5-10 Nebraska#
Atonye Nyingifa G/F 5-11 UCLA
Nnemkadi Ogwumike F 6-2 Stanford
Samantha Prahalis G 5-7 Ohio State
C’eira Ricketts G 5-9 Arkansas
Tierra Ruffin-Pratt G 5-11 North Carolina#
Chay Shegog F/C 6-5 North Carolina
Andrea Smith G 5-8 Gulf Coast C.C.
Taber Spani G 6-1 Tennessee#
Nikki Speed G 5-9 Rutgers
Da’Shena Stevens F 6-1 St. John’s
Markel Walker G 6-1 UCLA#
Samarie Walker F 6-1 UConn*
Destiny Williams F/C 6-3 Illinois#
Shawnice Wilson C 6-6 Pittsburgh
# indicates signed a National Letter of Intent to attend and play for the school indicated
* indicates verbally committed to attend and play for the school indicated
